Tag: faith

Have you heard it said that those who have much will receive more and those who have little will lose the little they have? What’s up with that?  For years I’ve heard this story about three men receiving talents (or money) – one got ten, another five, and the third one.  The first two invested […]

Because giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin, there is a natural alignment that occurs between giving and receiving.  Givers receive the joy of having helped another person and receivers give the giver the opportunity to be blessed by giving.  So how do these get out of alignment?  One way is when […]

Have you heard that what you need or desire is right in front of you?  I’ve been told that many times before as people share stories about the ideal partner or job opportunity being in their midst, but they never recognized it.  How can we be overlooking something for which we’re searching so hard? For […]

I recently took a course on issues and resources for caregivers of dementia patients.  Several things I learned in the class startled me: Approximately 44 million Americans are unpaid caregivers to older people or adults with disabilities.  That’s 18% higher than the population of California in 2010, our most populated state. Often unprepared for the […]

As I’ve said repeatedly, we must receive before we can give.  When I meet a caregiver, I like to ask them about their ability to receive.  Invariably, they tell me that receiving is uncomfortable for them and they’d much rather be giving.  Consider this frank statement written about 100 years ago by Myrtle Fillmore, co-founder […]

“Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.”  Mark 10:15 To learn to receive with grace and ease, we may well want to consider the example of children, who are naturally joyful receivers.  Having attended many children’s birthday parties and cared for over […]

As a writer, I love quotations. I heard one recently that has stayed with me: When we resist what is happening, we take on the role of God without having the awareness of God.  This will always cause pain and suffering. The idea of resistance causing pain is not new, but the notion that we […]

This week I’ve had two conversations with people about how hard it is to receive.   Does this sound like you?  Surely we can’t do it all alone.  There’s too much to do and too much to know to accomplish all we need to without help.  Even if we have the financial means to pay someone […]

“Man must prepare for the thing he has asked for, when there isn’t the slightest sign of it in sight.” Florence Scovel Shinn In 1925, teacher and metaphysician Florence Scovel Shinn advised her clients to get ready to receive whenever they needed or desired something.  For instance, she had them buy a wallet when they […]

It’s Lent, the 40-day period before Easter.  It began this year on February 22 and will end with Easter Sunday on April 8.  Historically many Christians adopt special practices during Lent, particularly around fasting. When I was young, we were encouraged to “give something up” as a way of sacrificing, similar to Jesus’ sacrifice (well, […]